Keywords: microtremor, traffic effects on structures, dynamic response of structures and soils, spectral and correlation analysis, ground vibration spectra.

Ground vibration recorded at a distance from a busy roadway or railway is analyzed assuming it to be a random and statistically a stationary function of time. The soil media are characterized as the viscous - elastic half space [1,5,6]. The analytical method for predicting ground vibration has been described. The spectral density of the ground vibration for a particular case was calculated and the prediction is validated by experimental measurements [1,2,3,4]. The analytical and experimental investigation of unfavourable traffic effects on an industrial building (KINEX) are also described in this paper.

The predicted ground vibration spectrum at the distance is substantially borne out by experiment focused on modelling acutely the transmission of ground borne vibration from busy roads. The sharp spectral peak predicted at 2.1 Hz reflects the assumption that all vehicles have the same "bounce" frequency. Substantial pitching modes in the range 2-5 Hz for typical heavy vehicles with 5 and more axles may also contribute to this effect.

The results of the theoretical and experimental investigation of traffic effects on the industrial buildings structures are analysed mainly from aspects of the safety of the building structure. The KINEX processing buildings are concerned with light engineering products. The processing estimation of the microtremor effect on the tested structureis described in following conclusions:

• Results following from the spectral analysis show that the frequency spectra due to road traffic do not endanger either the building structure safety nor the production processes in building M6. There are no resonate effects on the structure during its dynamic response.
• Based on amplitude analysis the danger phase of structure vibrations was observed during the road construction only. During this vibration phase in a small part of building M6 an increase of the structure cracks due to the temporary increased vibration velocity amplitude (v_RMS>10mm/s) was observed.

1

Bencat, J., "Microtremor from Railway Traffic", In Proc. of the 8th International Conference on Computational Structures Technology, Gran Canaria, Sept. 2006. Civil-Comp Press, Stirlingshire, Scotland, 2006. doi:10.4203/ccp.83.241

2

Bencat, J., "Microtremor due to Traffic", Research report A - 4 - 92/b, UTC Zilina, Slovakia, 1992.

3

Bendat, J.S. and Piersol, A.G., "Engineering Applications of Correlation and Spectral Analysis", Wiley - Interscience, New ork, 1971.

4

Ewing, V.M., Jardetsky. W.S. and Press, F. "Elastic Waves in Layered media", McGraw - Hill, New York, 1957.

5

Hunt, H.E.M., "Stochastic Modelling of Traffic - Induced Ground Vibration", Ph.D. Thesis, University of Cambridge, England, 1987.

6

Maldonado, M. and Le Houdec, D., "Propagation in Soil of Vibrations due to a Tramway", In Proc. of the 8th International Conference on Computational Structures Technology, Gran Canaria, Sept. 2006. Civil-Comp Press, Stirlingshire, Scotland, 2006. doi:10.4203/ccp.83.52

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